Google 'welcomed' to digital music by Spotify, 7Digital

But Android stops neutrality

7Digital and Spotify have welcomed the arrival of Google Music, although the former has suggested that the search giant can no longer be considered 'neutral, open and agnostic".

Google Music came out of beta this week, bringing music purchases to the service as well as cloud storage and streaming of users' music.

Google's assault on the streaming music world – taking on the likes of iTunes, 7Digital, Deezer and Spotify – represents a key moment, but outwardly two of those key players have welcomed its arrival.

A short statement from Spotify to TechRadar merely said: "We welcome any service that offers people the chance to listen to music in a legal environment."

Partisan

However, 7Digital CEO Ben Drury believes that, although Google's announcement is further proof of the digital direction of music, that the internet behemoth's mobile interests mean that it cannot play the platform agnostic card.

"It wasn't that long ago that the recorded music industry was being written off and that legitimate digital music services had no chance against piracy," Drury told TechRadar.

"Google's long overdue entry in the market is welcome as the company has a special market role, in helping combat piracy through the power to control search listings, Adwords advertising and dodgy MP3 apps on Android market, and also in showing consumers there is choice beyond iTunes.

"Google's acquisition of Motorola earlier in the year and the role as market leader in mobile OS's show Google Music will be focused on Android, and by default Motorola.

"Google is definitely not the neutral, open and agnostic player that itonce could claim to be."

The digital music world is certainly an interesting one at the moment, with competition hotting up, and market leader iTunes firmly in the sights of several major companies.